Life Made Of Collage

don’t want this to be a ‘poor me’ story, however, I feel a little background is necessary in order to connect to the craft-life I have today. As a child, I was always hyper-emotional and scared of trying new things, as well as being super withdrawn and reserved (this would later be diagnosed as ADHD in my adult life). I was terrified of showing my true self to others, in fear that they would laugh or make fun of me. This lack of confidence impacted my social life, and I’d often find myself having trouble making friends or being ostracised for being the ‘weird kid’. Someone who pioneered my love of the craft was my grandma, Patricia. My grandma always told me to ‘believe it can be done’; she always wanted me to achieve my best whilst having fun doing it. I’d 100% say that this woman was the most influential on who I am today, as her passion for life has inspired me to push the boundaries and not be afraid of new experiences. Through craft, she taught me lessons in self-expression and the power of believing in myself, and my craft.

In my childhood years, both of my parents worked when I was in kindergarten and primary school, so spending time at my grandparent’s house would become a regular arrangement. I didn’t mind this at all, as it meant I could have fun crafting with my grandma, and oh what fun we had! My grandma had a spare room dedicated to crafting, it was full of beautiful fabrics, pom-poms, ribbons, mannequins, glitter, sequins, paints and so much more. No matter what craft activity I wanted to do, grandma had all the supplies ready to use. We would spend our afternoons crafting together, eating cake, and talking about crazy nonsense like fairies, monsters, and folklore. My grandma always encouraged my wild imagination and allowed me to express it in my art, even if my family thought it was a bit weird. My favourite memory of us together is when we made collages out of Better Homes and Gardens magazines, creating a dream world full of the things we loved the most, imagining it as a fairy kingdom. We spent so long carefully cutting out pictures of flowers, foods, and destinations, placing them together, rearranging and then ultimately deciding their position on the board we were to glue them on. This dream world was something that inspired freedom and abundance of happiness, which was something that I desperately needed at that time in my life. Unfortunately, when I was 8 years old my grandma had a stroke and lost most of her memory and cognitive abilities. At about that time in my life, I stopped experimenting with crafting as I didn’t have guidance, but it wouldn’t be until twenty or so years later that I’d realise the value of what my grandma had taught me and how hobbies can provide so much more enrichment, even if they’re not something that makes money.

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit Australian shores last year in 2020, I was stood down from my job for the most part of a year, during Victoria’s 112-day lockdown. This not only left me without work, but also made me start to lose hope as the days seemed to be never-ending. Out of sheer boredom, I started to reignite my love for crafting hobbies. I toyed with loom weaving, sewing, painting, knitting (still haven’t mastered that one), as well as my old love of collage. I would often be alone with my thoughts and would fondly remember creating a collage with my grandma. The action of gliding through paper with sharp scissors, carefully making sure to cut the edges smoothly became my mindfulness routine. Collage has been the craft I think I’ve engaged with the most as it allows me to curate pictures that mean something to me and create an overall image that inspires me day-to-day. I like to change the collage board on my desk regularly and create a theme that evokes a sense of hope in these dark times. What I’m describing sounds like a mood board, but to me, it’s so much more than that. This collection of images pays homage to the times spent with my grandma, dreaming of an ideal life, and mapping out dreams for the future.

The main types of pictures that often feature on my collage include places I want to go. In 2019 I travelled for the first time out of my own country, making my way over to Thailand. This was just one year before the pandemic and though it's bittersweet, I cherish the time that I spent there with my partner and can’t wait to go back. Meanwhile, I cut out pictures of crystal-clear blue water, idyllic forests, and landmarks to remind myself to keep pushing through the days with optimism. One day this pandemic WILL be over and if I’m lucky enough to be healthy, I’ll be able to explore the world once again. Though Australia is blessed with so much beauty, I’ve not been able to travel much, as I happen to live in the one state in Australia that continues to have outbreaks of COVID-19 (the rest of Australia is relatively Coronavirus-free). In fact, Melbourne city has just emerged from its fourth lockdown, and as I write this, we are only allowed to travel 25 kilometres from home as well as many other restrictions. I cannot wait for the day where we will be able to even just travel within our state and sightsee what our beautiful state has to offer. From my time spent indoors, I’ve really spent time honing my crafts and trying new techniques and tools to really get the best out of my art pieces. Though the series of lockdowns have proven super stressful, I’ve managed to stay afloat through the means of craft, which I think I’ll continue to do even post-pandemic.

For now, I find solace in creating collage that displays my hopes and desires for the future, and also keeps me entertained in the moment. Sometimes I’ll even make weird and whacky collages that take abstract pictures and out-of-context passages from magazines to make something that lightens the mood. Crafting is about having fun and enjoying yourself, and I really love to put a piece of my humour in some of the pieces I make. Pouring my heart into collage has proven to be a worthwhile activity, as I can express all facets of my personality and do something that acknowledges both my past and my future.